Finally, some more videos.
I usually can't catch most of the funny stuff on video and Dawson typically throws a fit and stops doing whatever cute thing he was doing, when I do pull out the camera. So I wanted to at least write down some of the funny things he says on a regular basis as he's trying to master the English language.
- We have an alphabet book with Grover twisting his body into each letter. It's a book that I read as a kid, too. When we get to the "H", Dawson puts one hand and one leg down and attempts to stick the other limbs straight up into the air, just like Grover. It's quite funny.
- He loves saying "Oooozzzzy mud" when we're reading "Going on a Bear Hunt."
- He throws temperamental fits when he wants the other parent to do whatever the first one is attempting. Even something simple like giving him his milk. If' dad is doing it, but he wants mom to do it, its "Mommy wants to do it." He's been saying "____ wants to do it" instead of "I want _____ to do it" for quite awhile now. It's usually quite, though not always.
- When he does something for which he thinks we should thank him but for which we failed to do so, he announces, "I yelcome."
- When he wants us to cuddle with him on the couch, it's "I cuddle for you."
- When he needs some fresh air, its "I pay back yard."
- When he wants us to chase him, "I get you."
- When he wants to wrestle, "I jump on daddy!"
- When giving a thoughtful or playful response, "aahhhh.... NO / aahhh... YES."
- When finishing the ABC song, "Next time won't you sing with Dawson (or Elmo).
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
It's Beginning to Sound a lot Like Christmas
This year at Christmas, Dawson will be almost three years old. The last two years, he really has not known what was happening. Because he will understand more of what is going on this year, I've been making an effort to get him prepared. :)
We've been watching Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, and I'm hoping I will find Charlie Brown's Christmas and the animated version of The Grinch that Stole Christmas. (Somehow, those got lost in the last year. Although, they might be packed with the Christmas decorations...) Each time he watches the movies, he remembers more and more. He is walking around the house singing the songs and requesting them at bed time.
My next plan of attack is to get out the Christmas books. There are several that teach the true meaning of Christmas as well as several that are just fun.
I can't wait to take him to see Santa, but I'm really looking forward to getting some kind of nativity scene with which he can play and interact.
It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas!
Dawson-isms
Dawson talks more and more every day. His vocabulary is expanding at an amazing rate and it is so interesting and fun to hear what comes out of his mouth... most of the time. :)
When something is not happening the way he thinks it should he says:
"Needs batteries."
"Oh, no it's scratched!" (because that is what happens when DVDs aren't working.)
"It's not working!"
If he wants you to come and snuggle with him he says:
"I cuddle for you!"
When he is really proud of something he says:
"I DID IT!"
If he wants you to see what he is doing:
"Watch, Mommy!"
When he wants me to do something:
"Mommy's wanna do it."
If he is thirsty while he is eating, he coughs and says:
"Need a drink."
When he is frustrated, usually we hear:
"Oh crap!" but we are trying to replace it with, "Oh man!"
Sometimes when something makes him upset he says:
"That's just great!"
So, we are pretty sure that he is mimicking some of his mommy and daddy's words and appropriately using them. :) Mommy and Daddy are glad that we don't use (much) profanity...
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Where are the KIDS???
All parents inevitably seem to have those moments. The ones where the kids are right beside you and then a second later you turn around and they are nowhere in sight. Well, when we were in Iowa, Dawson and his cousin, Dani were with me upstairs getting ready to go on an errand with Grammy Lori and Aunt Rachel. After I finished getting Dawson dressed, I watched the kids go downstairs where Lori and Rachel were in the kitchen. I got dressed and then went downstairs about 5 minutes later.
When I got to the kitchen, I asked, "Where are the kids?" Rachel and Lori looked at each other and said, "They were just here!" Rachel had seen them playing less than a minute before and looked at me bewildered.
We started calling for them, thinking they were on the back porch, in the living room, or the office. After no response and looking in each of the rooms, we checked in the bathroom and even went back upstairs in the bedrooms and closets. No sign of either of them.
I went to the back porch, looked down the cellar stairs, and noticed a truck at the bottom, so I went into the basement and called for them. There was no light on, but I still wanted to double check, so I said each of their names loudly and waited. No response.
I was beginning to panic. I raced outside and looked everywhere around the house. Donnie's parents live on a fairly large farm with a house that sits right at the highway. My heart was racing... Rachel followed me outside and we were both yelling for them, looking in the garage, machine shed, bushes, and the barn. We couldn't see or hear any sign of either of them anywhere.
While I stayed outside searching, Rachel went back in and rechecked some of the places that we had already searched. She just didn't understand how they could disappear so quickly! She went into the basement and walked back into the rear rooms, calling the kids names. As she got closer to the back room, Dani popped out! They had been HIDING, SILENTLY, in the basement TOGETHER the WHOLE TIME!!!
Looking back on this I can laugh, but at the time, I was SO scared that they might be dead on the highway, that I was pretty upset. Rachel talked very seriously and sternly to Dani. Just a week before, she had left the house and gone out into the machine shed by herself because she wanted to play in there. The funny thing is, we don't think either of them would've gone down into the dark basement alone. But, together, they somehow figured that it would be fun to hide from their mommies and not talk when they were calling for them. I guess one of them has figured out how to hide. But they don't understand that the rest of the game involves telling someone to come and SEEK you!
Whew! First dangerous missing child episode down! I hope to not feel that way again any ttime soon!
Erin
When I got to the kitchen, I asked, "Where are the kids?" Rachel and Lori looked at each other and said, "They were just here!" Rachel had seen them playing less than a minute before and looked at me bewildered.
We started calling for them, thinking they were on the back porch, in the living room, or the office. After no response and looking in each of the rooms, we checked in the bathroom and even went back upstairs in the bedrooms and closets. No sign of either of them.
I went to the back porch, looked down the cellar stairs, and noticed a truck at the bottom, so I went into the basement and called for them. There was no light on, but I still wanted to double check, so I said each of their names loudly and waited. No response.
I was beginning to panic. I raced outside and looked everywhere around the house. Donnie's parents live on a fairly large farm with a house that sits right at the highway. My heart was racing... Rachel followed me outside and we were both yelling for them, looking in the garage, machine shed, bushes, and the barn. We couldn't see or hear any sign of either of them anywhere.
While I stayed outside searching, Rachel went back in and rechecked some of the places that we had already searched. She just didn't understand how they could disappear so quickly! She went into the basement and walked back into the rear rooms, calling the kids names. As she got closer to the back room, Dani popped out! They had been HIDING, SILENTLY, in the basement TOGETHER the WHOLE TIME!!!
Looking back on this I can laugh, but at the time, I was SO scared that they might be dead on the highway, that I was pretty upset. Rachel talked very seriously and sternly to Dani. Just a week before, she had left the house and gone out into the machine shed by herself because she wanted to play in there. The funny thing is, we don't think either of them would've gone down into the dark basement alone. But, together, they somehow figured that it would be fun to hide from their mommies and not talk when they were calling for them. I guess one of them has figured out how to hide. But they don't understand that the rest of the game involves telling someone to come and SEEK you!
Whew! First dangerous missing child episode down! I hope to not feel that way again any ttime soon!
Erin
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
My Boy is Reading!
Dawson has settled into an interesting routine. Every single night, he wants to read just three books; a book about Thomas the Tank Engine, Going on a Bear Hunt and Bear Snores On.
Tonight, however, we couldn't find Bear Hunt but thankfully, it wasn't too much of an ordeal.
We read those books so often, that Dawson is saying the words along with me. In the case of Bear Hunt, he is even making the same sounds.
Tonight I tried something new. Knowing that Dawson actually knows many of the words, I would read a few words at the end of a phrase, then point to and read each word, then have Dawson repeat the words individually and then read the entire phrase. And the sending-chills-down-my-spine response from Dawson was that he would READ THE PHRASE! This is just so EXCITING!
I can still remember the first book I ever read, it was A Great Day for Up by Dr. Seuss. What I don't remember, however, is actually learning to read. I know that both of my parents worked really hard with me, but my only two early reading memories was crying with frustration while reading Great Day for Up but finishing because my mom wouldn't let me quit - I also remember her wild celebration when I finished. I also remember riding through Burlington with my dad and reading each sign that he pointed to, which was followed by a celebratory whoop from my dad.
I learned during my TFA Institute training that ideally a kid won't remember learning to read. That's my hope for Dawson, that he won't be able to remember learning to read, that he just reads from his 2 1/2 year old state throughout his life. The ability to read any author's story allows us to live an unlimited number of lives.
We finished the night with another activity I can't remember learning to do but just did my entire life, singing "Jesus Loves Me."
A good night that I wanted to remember, so I took the time to write this blog post.
Tonight, however, we couldn't find Bear Hunt but thankfully, it wasn't too much of an ordeal.
We read those books so often, that Dawson is saying the words along with me. In the case of Bear Hunt, he is even making the same sounds.
Tonight I tried something new. Knowing that Dawson actually knows many of the words, I would read a few words at the end of a phrase, then point to and read each word, then have Dawson repeat the words individually and then read the entire phrase. And the sending-chills-down-my-spine response from Dawson was that he would READ THE PHRASE! This is just so EXCITING!
I can still remember the first book I ever read, it was A Great Day for Up by Dr. Seuss. What I don't remember, however, is actually learning to read. I know that both of my parents worked really hard with me, but my only two early reading memories was crying with frustration while reading Great Day for Up but finishing because my mom wouldn't let me quit - I also remember her wild celebration when I finished. I also remember riding through Burlington with my dad and reading each sign that he pointed to, which was followed by a celebratory whoop from my dad.
I learned during my TFA Institute training that ideally a kid won't remember learning to read. That's my hope for Dawson, that he won't be able to remember learning to read, that he just reads from his 2 1/2 year old state throughout his life. The ability to read any author's story allows us to live an unlimited number of lives.
We finished the night with another activity I can't remember learning to do but just did my entire life, singing "Jesus Loves Me."
A good night that I wanted to remember, so I took the time to write this blog post.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Our First Family Vacation
A few weeks ago, we took our first family vacation to Saint Louis. To read about it and to see some pictures, check out this link.
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